Weezer @ Williamsburg Waterfront 7/16/10

Tonight we embark on the 30th edition of the Jay Porks Never Ending concert series, where we go to Brookyln, NY- The Williamsburg WaterFront for Weezer ( try saying that 5 times fast). Here we have ourselves a newer venue in the hipster town of Williamsburg- home to a few cool places to see shows such as ‘Brooklyn Bowl’ and the ‘Music Hall Of Williamsburg’.. Bands booked at the Williamsburg Waterfront this summer are the likes of Faith No More, Band of Horses, Silversun Pickups, Modest Mouse, Pavement and tonight, the Weez.. Let’s hope this lives up to the hype of $55 tickets ( 3 of which I had to sell for way less then face value-not to mention having to evade a brawl that ensued on the bus back in Staten Island on the way over).. To add insult to injury, about halfway to Brooklyn I realized I forgot my SD memory card, basically making my camera usless! I’m not sure how many still frames this can hold without extra memory…I feel like it’s 2008 all over again… Let’s hope for better times ahead!

After getting lost in Williamsburg, I heard a familiar voice blasting through the streets.. It was Matt Pinfield, welcoming everyone to this WRXP sponsered event.. So there, I found myself outside the venue at about 8PM.. Fresh after Rival Schools went off.. There’s a paragraph I won’t have to waste..as for the Williamsburg Warerfront- what a frigging dump this place was.. What are they renting a park for the summer.. It overlooks the East River, which is a good look- but the rest of this place is like a slab of concrete with a stage equipped.. It’s all standing room, right in front of 40 Porta-pottys(Spell check is telling me that’s the correct spelling) giving me the feel that I’m in the parking lot at a Jets game.. with an area they called ‘ the Beer Garden’, a concessions section which is ropped off.. This place is packed.. The stage is huge, but looks so out of place in the middle of a crummy neighborhood. It’s a great view when your NOT facing the stage, but everything else is abysmal ..
Showed up late enough where even though I feel like I’ve been here 5 minutes- Weezer is about to go on..

And at about 820- Weezer hit the stage and kicked the set off with ‘Hash Pipe’ Sweet, I love this song.. From back here, looks like avid soccer fan Rivers Cuomo is wearing a New York Red Bulls soccer jersey… If only someone gave a crap about soccor..after Hash Pipe, the band got into ‘Troublemaker’…. Then a stage hand gives Rivers a guitar as they go into ‘Undone(the sweater song)… Rivers has tried to get away from playing guitar at shows recently, so he started without one and was given it as needed.. I can’t say that this isn’t pretty cool so far as we get into ‘Surf Wax America”..then a newer, surprisingly likable song-‘Tripping down the Freeway’.. Towards the end of the song Rivers had grabbed an Emergency Exit sign and planted it mid-stage… Now Rivers back to Guitar as next up ‘Perfect Situation’.. Now everyone around me goes from excited to borderline giddy… Where are all those crappy Weezer songs I hate? Absent so far.. ‘Dope Nose’ followed, then “Say it ain’t so”- one of Weezers like top 3 songs ever.. this rocks right now- how did I have so much trouble selling these extra tickets?

There it is! Weezer crappy side surfaces with “I can’t stop partying’.. Never thought I’d say these words- I’d rather hear the version with Lil Wayne!.. Then we hear a “this ones for you for” as Balloons and clear beach balls fly from stage and they get into “Island in the sun”.. When the beach balls surfaced- I said aloud “what are the Flaming Lips in town?”.. I got looked at by spectators.. I can’t believe nobody got that joke.. ‘El Scorcho’ was next.. Sometime during the last few songs Pat Wilson jumped out from behind the drums and grabbed a guitar to be replaced on drums by some other guy..next in the set came ‘My name is Jonas’.. The crowd is beginning to cram more towards the front, I notice because I keep obtaining more room in the area in front of me.. Now it’s time for us to channel our inner Hollywood with “Beverly Hills”.. I can’t tell if Brian Bell is really using that talk box for the solo like Peter Frampton-or is he just mouthing the sounds.. I’m too far away to tell.

9:20 Weezer ducks off stage for what seems to be the first encore.. Came back out and started with Pat Wilson soloing something wicked(I think it was EVH but I hate Van Halen, so good chance I’m wrong).. That led into “Pork and Beans”, fitting for a Jay Porks Experience…. Then something really fun happened- Weezer doing MGMT- Kids/ Gaga’s Pokerface.. With Rivers sporting a platinum wig….Awesome

930- they head off for what seems to be the 2nd encore- because I didn’t hear Buddy Holly yet- and I’m not leaving til I do! Now all the lights on stage are off and I this is when I finally notice that there is an abandoned building behind the stage- and it’s full of spectators(If you look at the top picture, you can seriously see the buildings behind the stage)… How much do those seats cost?

Now a fan is on stage, it’s 9:33 and they let the fan:’ Chris from New Jersey’, sing lead on “If your wondering If I want you to (I want you to)’.. Guy didn’t do half bad- I wish I could do that-Looked like he had a good time.. that must be the VIP package.. NOW we can get into the climax of the night: ‘Buddy Holly’.. A song I can never get tired of.. By this time everyone in this place is drunk on the Weezer kool-aid.. Everyones having a blast.. After they played Buddy Holly it was followed by an impromptu drum jam- and off stage at 9:42…

Can’t call myself disappointed with the set.. played several songs I was hoping they would (they didn’t play ‘The Good Life’, but I’ll live).. I can’t say anything that Weezer did pissed me off.. The schlep to the slums of Brooklyn, the heat, and the bums grubbing cigarettes, well, that can get tiring and make you never want to hit the borough again.. But we will, as this party will be continued at Prospect Park July 31st, where Sonic Youth is playing a FREE show.. Til then-if you made it this far, you’ve made me proud.. LATE…

Jay Porks here.. I like to go to shows and pass along the experiences to you in words, photos and videos. In my spare time I do Social Media for the Meat Puppets in addition to hosting a weekly podcast. Remember folks it\'s not all about the technicalities of the situation more than it is about what the situation brings to the technicalities... The Jay Porks Experience, take a stroll my shoes for a little while...